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leapt forward with her. The boar was not seeking freedom; it had twisted again in a split second to slash at Lord Llewelyn's unprotected right side. |
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There was no expectation that horse or huntsmen could prevent what Alinor feared. They plunged ahead in the hope of driving the boar from his victim before great injury was done. But no injury befell the Welshman, who had run boar down afoot in his own hills with no more than a few dogs to help him. As the animal turned, Llewelyn had come to his feet; as it twisted to slash at him, he jumped clear over its back, bringing down his spear with an angled, overhand thrust that forced the point in behind the shoulder and deep into the chest. The knife was already out in his free hand, but there was no need to seek for a death thrust in the throat. Blood burst from the boar's nose and mouth, and it sank forward on its knees. |
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A shout that shivered the bare branches of the trees went up from the men's throats. Pembroke raised his hunting horn to blow the mort. There was a concerted rush of men and dogs toward the boar and Lord Llewelyn. Simultaneously, at the other end of the dead tree, there was a loud crashing among the branches. The dogs went insane, snapping at the bloodied hulk one instant and twisting to rush off toward the other side of the clearing barking madly in the next. |
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"Ware! Ware!" the huntsmen shouted at once. |
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The noblemen whirled in their tracks. Out of concealment in the tangled branches of the fallen oak, burst a huge sow and three half-grown piglets. Alinor heard one man cry out in pain as a small devil tore open his leg. William of Salisbury leapt to his aid, thrusting his spear through the middle of the young pig's body in a hasty attempt to prevent the animal from slashing the fallen man a second time. Although it could not have weighed above seven stone, its strength was enormous. The stroke was not immediately fatal, and the pig twisted madly, wrenching the spear from Salisbury's hand. Sir |
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